Roofing Options for Shipping Container Sheds

Building a shed for storage, working, or extra living space beyond your main house’s four walls is now essential. This is because most property owners now want a clutter-free living space. However, the high costs associated with building materials make the inclusion of a shed beyond the reach of most property owners. Fortunately, there is an inexpensive solution: a refurbished shipping container shed.

A shipping container shed is delivered to your property and only needs a foundation for its placement. To extend the service life of your container shed, you can include a roof to cover it. Doing so will protect the container shed’s roof from water damage and lower your cooling and heating costs. You can also include an insulation material under the roof cover to minimise heat loss from your shed. Here are your design options for a container shed’s roof:

A Shed-style Roof

This roof is raised on one side and slopes towards the front part of your container. A shed style roof is simple and inexpensive to build. It involves the installation of right-angled steel plate welds with attached wooden beams. The roof is then covered using galvanised metal and coated steel sheets or shingles. After installation, sufficient ventilation should be installed at the gable ends to avoid the trapping of heat and condensation, which leads to rust.

A Gable-style Roof

This resembles a traditional roof with two sloping sides and a raised centre making a triangle. Gable-style roofs have excellent water drainage and a minimal risk of leaks. They are also popular because of the abundant ceiling space that they offer. Galvanised metal or coated steel sheets are the standard covers used for gable-style roofs. Unfortunately, these roofs are weak against strong winds or hurricanes.

A Flat Roof

This is an inexpensive and primary cover option for your shipping container and might be sufficient for most people. Flat roofs are primarily designed to prevent water pooling on your shipping container. However, they have minimal ceiling space. Hence, the installation of insulation might be challenging. A flat roof also has higher maintenance needs compared to other options.

A Gambrel Roof

This is a two-sloped ridged roof commonly found on barns. The slope on both sides has a shallow and steep orientation. Gambrel roofs have sufficient roof space, are adaptable, are aesthetically pleasing, and require minimal materials. Nonetheless, they might collapse in places with strong winds and heavy snowfall.

In the end, a shipping container shed’s roof is not very easy to construct regardless of your pick from the designs above. With that in mind, if you want to choose the right one and get its construction right, you should get expert help. Building regulations in different states also have guidelines regarding the installation of roofs on shipping container sheds. As such, you should check the ones that apply to your state and comply with them before the construction of your shed’s roof. If you are uncertain, you can always seek the assistance of experts or professionals.